With personal green space a rarity in the city, Brian and Suzanne bonded over their Brooklyn backyards. Suzanne, a 24-year-old graphic artist, and Brian, a 26-year-old actor and dancer, talked shop, sharing stories of maintenance and outdoor relaxation. But was their shared passion for nature enough to keep their date at seafood restaurant Flex Mussels — where they even sat amid grassy plants! — from wilting?

He said:

When Suzanne walked in, I immediately recognized her. She’s super-cute, and exactly as she appeared on paper: tall, sweet and a bit understated. I was really excited for the date, but I could tell she was a little nervous. Once we sat down, though, we immediately started laughing.

Suzanne is from Ontario and I’m from Buffalo, so in an unspoken way, we got along very naturally. She told me about her recent move to the city and how she landed a job at a graphic design firm. I love hearing stories about people succeeding in the city. We also talked about how we both love our backyards and enjoy cooking.

We live pretty close to each other in Brooklyn, so on the way home we stopped off for a beer. We exchanged numbers and made tentative plans to see each other again. I think Suzanne is very sweet and really pretty. I’d love to see her again.

She said:

I had a great first impression of Brian: He was attractive and exceeded my height standards! Throughout the night, the conversation was enjoyable and continuous. We had a lot in common: We both love living in Brooklyn and have similar issues with our backyard maintenance.

I thought Brian had a great sense of humor, and I was really impressed with his knowledge of bands, not that I know much about obscure bands, but his music taste was impressive.

After dinner, Brian took me to one of his favorite bars in Brooklyn for a nightcap. I would certainly see Brian again if he calls me.